When You Say Nothing At All
by Winter Thunder
Summary: [SakuSasu, plus future family] She knows actions can speak louder than words. He says it best when he says nothing at all. Even as time wears on, their love reaches for eternity. But in the end, can he learn to say those three treasured words: I love you?


When You Say Nothing At All

_By: Winter Thunder_

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or When You Say Nothing At All by Alison Krauss

A/N: For my dear friend, Ariel32, dedicated to her for her birthday, July 26. I'm so sorry I couldn't get this up earlier! I'm sure you all know how fanfiction has been acting up lately—it wouldn't let me upload.

Mm, well, SasuSaku, songfic, spur of the moment, I just watched Inuyasha and I'm watching Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement…yeah. I love watching inspiration as I'm writing.

I was thinking about calling it: Coming Home, but that doesn't really suit the ending. What do you think? Then I thought about Our Song, but Taylor Swift actually has a song called that (which I love) so...

You know what's really funny? I don't believe in waiting forever. But that idea is just so perfect for Sasuke and Sakura.

This is AU, Alternate Universe.

The "Sasuke leaves Sakura" is the same as the actual story, and I'm sure you can figure out the rest.

Well, I intended to only go up till the part where Sakura was pregnant for the first time, but I wanted to go on to the family. If you notice that there are references in names etc. from my Father's Day Surprise, it's because I wanted to use the same names, but remember, it _is_ AU, and Father's Day Surprise is CU.

Enjoy!

* * *

A quiet, lovely, slightly sad tune played itself in her head as she looked up at the giant tree. Breezes from the lake close to the tree blew her hair and played with her clothes. 

"Have we lost all connection, love? Do I no longer mean anything to you?" She drew her gaze from the tree and dropped it to the shattered pendant in her hand. "Am I completely lost to you? Or are you lost to me?" Her hand clenched over it, shards cutting into her palm. She ignored the blood trickling down her palm. The young woman swung herself up onto the lowest branch.

"It's been six long years; do you remember your promise?" She asked the wind.

She received no answer.

* * *

'_I promised I would love you until the end of time. But will time end before I see you again? Please, I just want to see you.' _ A year later, and she still waited by their tree. _'Come home, come home, come home.'_ She begged to herself. "Come home to me." She whispered to the night sky. Once again, shards of a pendant were clutched in her hands. 

A figure watched her from the shadows. _'Why does she still wait?'_ He asked himself, masking his inner thought, _'Wait for me a little longer.'_

* * *

A year later, she still waited. _'Eight years…that is no where near forever.' _She smiled softly, looking at the repaired pendant in her hands. A pair of hands covered hers. 

"Thank you." He whispered. Startled emerald eyes looked up at him. The obsidian eyes that had haunted her dreams for the past eight years looked at her with a degree of love that both frightened and warmed her. Questions ran rampant in her mind, chief among them: Why did he say that? Why was she frightened by the love in his eyes? She knew the answer to the second. _'I think…I have pushed away love from other for so long, loved him for so long, knowing he might never care in the same way…that I am afraid that love will disappear._ "Thank you, for waiting." And with that, all thoughts and dreams of what she would say to him when he came home disappeared into the dust. Emerald eyes smiled at his obsidian orbs; her hand tightened on the repaired pendant.

"You're welcome." _I'd do it again._

Lakeside breezes picked up their hair and clothes, mixing them together.

_Thank you for coming home to me._

* * *

Sakura smiled as she touched the two bands around her left hand ring finger. _Two bands, two years. Nothing has changed._ Two years of lovely, happy marriage. The happy ending of two high school sweethearts. And…Sakura's smile widened as she felt the slight rounding of her stomach. Her family was on its way to completion. She leaned against the trunk of the tree, the same one that had comforted her for eight years, the same one that had seen the marriage of Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke. But for once, she sat on the grass beneath the tree, hands savoring the soft, smooth feel of the grass. She trailed her hand in the grass, thinking. 

_She and Sasuke had gotten together after a year in high school. Out of their group known as 'The Golden Couples,' they were the ones expected to bind their lives together first, not last. But college and graduate school awaited both ambitious and prodigious students. Sasuke had gone overseas for his schools; Sakura stayed at home. For eight, long years, she waited, with nothing but his promise to come back to her to keep her in love. One year was filled with nothing but her job—she'd spent only three in college. And when he came home, her sky brightened. The clouds were gone; she could see her sun. They spent three years to become even closer; by then, the last of their friends were married. At twenty-eight, Sasuke proposed. Engaged for a year, then happily married beneath the tree that held so many of their memories._

'_We are happy.'_ Sakura thought contentedly. Both held excellent jobs in business and the medical fields, to Sasuke and Sakura respectively. But as she thought about the past, she realized something.

Sasuke had never said 'I love you' to her, even though she had told him just that repeatedly.

'_Am I bothered by that?' _She asked herself, then grinned at her own silliness. _'No. I love him for who he is, and I wholly accept him. Besides, he says it in his own, very Sasuke-like way.' _Her eyes slid shut and the song that had lived in her heart burst forth.

"It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word you can light up the dark

Try as I may I could never explain

What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud

But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd

Old Mr. Webster could never define

What's being said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all." Sakura smiled. _'Yes, that is exactly how I feel. He might never __**say**__ 'I love you' but actions speak louder than words.'_ A kiss was pressed to her forehead. Emerald orbs opened and smiled up at her husband.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun." She kissed him back. "How are you?" Sasuke sat by her, holding her hand.

"Better, now that I'm with you." He answered simply. A light blush rose on her cheeks, but it was a happy one, not an embarrassed one.

"I could say the same to you." She leaned on his shoulder and looked up at his face. A small smile graced his face as he gazed out at the lake.

"Do you really mean what you said?" He asked suddenly.

"What?"

"In your song." Sasuke clarified.

"Of course, Sasuke. It _was_ about you, and I think I know you better than everyone except yourself." She hugged his arm. "Actions speak louder than words. I don't _need _you to _say_ how you feel. I understand you. I think that's enough." Sakura looked up at him. "You believe me, right? I'm happy with the way things are."

"I am happy too, Sakura." He kissed the top of her head. "I have everything I ever wanted." Sakura giggled.

"And the baby will come in a few months.

"Our son would enjoy you singing to him when he's still young." Sasuke commented off-handedly. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"What makes you think it's a boy?" They returned to their former argument.

"It is an Uchiha. It will be a boy."

"_Sasuke._" She growled warningly. "There is nothing wrong with having a _daughter_."

"Of course not."

"You are so lucky that my mood swings haven't come into the picture yet!" He took off. "UCHIHA SASUKE, YOU GET BACK HERE!" She raced after him, despite the obvious show of her pregnancy.

"I don't want to die just yet, Sakura! We need a few more kids!" Sasuke yelled back.

"SHUT UP, YOU PERV!"

* * *

"Shizune. Let me in." Shizune winced. 

"Sorry, Sasuke-san. Tsunade-sama wants the old tradition of no males in the birthing room to come into place."

"UCHIHA!" Sakura screamed. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! SHIZUNE, LET HIM IN SO I CAN KILL HIM!" Sasuke winced.

"I'll wait in the waiting room. Come on, Riya."

"Mm'kays, 'tou-san!" His daughter chirped. She had been deemed too young to go in to the hospital room where her mother was giving birth, so she was waiting with her father. " 'tou-san, Riya is gonna be a big sister, right? Will she have a lil' sister or a lil' brother?" She asked excitedly. "Riya is so happy she got to help pick out stuff for the baby's room! I'm going to be the best big sister in the world! 'tou-san, is 'kaa-san okay? She sounds like she wants ta kill y—"

"Riyaku." Sasuke cut across her firmly.

"Sorry, 'tou-san." Riya said meekly.

"Let's sit, okay?" He sat her in a chair and unconsciously started pacing in front of her. His instinct told her Sakura was fine, but her screams did not. Well, perhaps they did. She was still screaming about killing him.

"Papa." Uchiha Riyaku was definitely a mix of her mother and father. "Sit." The startled Uchiha patriarch looked at her and complied, only to jump up again as Shizune popped her head out of the room.

"Come on in." She said simply. The two hurried in. Tired, but happy emerald eyes greeted them as they came in.

"Sasuke, Riya, come here." Sakura sounded tired. "Riya-chan, you're a big sister now. What shall we name him?" Her voice was directed at her daughter, but her eyes were on her husband. Sasuke smiled at her.

"Let's let Riya choose." He kissed Sakura on her forehead with a soft, 'thank you.' Proud obsidian eyes looked down at the newest addition to the family that slept quietly in his mother's arms.

"Dashitaka." Riya smiled up at her parents from her position of hopping to look at the baby. Sasuke chuckled and picked her up, setting her on the bed.

"And why Dashitaka?"

"De_dashi_ for beginning, _taka_ for hawk. I think he's going to stick to the skies. And since he's younger 'n me, I can teach 'im." Riya smiled at her sleeping brother. "Dedashitaka's too long, 'tou-san, 'kaa-san." She said with all the dignity of her three years. " 'Sides, Dashitaka's cuter an' we can call him 'Dashi' for short."

"I think it's cute too. Sasuke-kun?"

"I'd expect no less reasoning from my daughter." Sasuke told them. Riya smiled proudly. Her father was kind, if not free with complimenting words. Sakura smiled gently at the baby boy.

"Welcome to our family, Uchiha Dashitaka." She whispered lovingly.

* * *

"UCHIHA DASHITAKA!" The screech echoed all along the streets of Konoha. "YOU GET RIGHT BACK HERE, YOUNG MAN, OR GOD SO HELP ME, YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR LIFE!" Uchiha Riyaku was ready to blow. Dashi slunk back into the main house and stuck his tongue out at his older sister. 

"You _can't_ ground me. Ony' 'tou-san and 'kaa-san can." The way that the siblings spoke was extremely similar.

"I can and I will. Otou-san and Okaa-san are on a business trip." Dashi winced. The fact that there were no slurred words in her speech, in addition to the hard glint in her obsidian eyes, told him Riya was furious. "In. _NOW._" A finger, shaking with badly hidden rage, pointed to the house. Dashi hurried in. The door slammed behind him but the yelling did not start. "Dashi, how could you?" Riya asked softly, disappointedly. She'd harp about the other thing her troublesome brother had done later. Dashi winced. He'd prefer his mother's blood to come out in her—yelling was better than the quiet disappointed tone that was all Riya's. "You promised 'kaa-san and 'tou-san you wouldn't get into trouble."

"But I wasn't _doing_ anything! I was just climbing trees!" He protested, but looked at the floor.

"In our snotty, no-good, arrogant neighbors' back yard." Dashi looked up. Riya offered him a tiny smile. "Dashi, I know they nearly have a forest and you can see the sky there, but they consider that trespassing. You promised us you wouldn't do it again. And I promised you I'd drive you to the park. Remember, the special one?"

"I'm sorry." He muttered. "I just couldn't help it." Riya stood up from leaning against the wall.

"I know, Dashi, I know." She took his hand and led him into the kitchen. "I named you for a bird, after all."

"An' I bet it's all _your_ fault that I turned out this bad. _You_ taught me—that's why I'm Dashi." He dodged a swipe from his older sister with a grin. "I'm kidding, nee-chan. I like me just the way I am." Riya pulled food out of the oven and off the stove, then set the table.

"I do too, Dashi. Now, help your nee-chan set the table." She commanded. Dashi rolled his eyes, but complied. "And, about telling Tori I'd go out with him…"

"Oops?"

"You're dead, boy." _So __**that's**__ why she was yelling. She hates our neighbors too._

"We're home!" Sakura shouted.

"In here, 'kaa-san!" Riya called.

"Man, I thought that stupid flight would never end!" Sakura whined as she washed her hands. Dashi, Riya, and Sasuke exchanged exasperated looks.

" 'kaa-san, you _always_ hate airplanes." Dashi pointed out.

"Don't you sass me, young man. We all heard your sister yell for you. What did you do this time?" Sakura retorted, sitting down. "Thank you, Riya-chan."

"Any time, Mama."

"Well, Dashi-kun?" Riya quietly informed their father of what happened while mother and son argued.

"—Dashi, you told us you'd never go back there! Riya even promised to take you to the park!"

"It's not really a park, 'kaa-san, it's like a giant reserve."

"_Dashi_," Sakura began warningly.

"Enough. We just got home." Sasuke looked slightly irritated. Sakura relaxed.

"Okay, okay. Riya, what else did he do?" Sasuke shot her a look, which she ignored.

"Idiot boy told Tori I'd go on a date with him." If looks could kill, the Uchiha family would be down a son.

"Ino-chan's boy? What's wrong with him?"

"_Mother._" Riya looked exasperated. "I don't like him that way and frankly, he's not my type."

"What are you going to do?" Riya shrugged.

" 'tou-san?" She asked. Sasuke gave her a 'you-want-me-to-get-involved-in-your-_dating_?' look. " _'tou-san._"

"Never liked him anyways." He savagely shoved a tomato in his mouth. Sakura giggled.

"It means don't you _dare_ go out with him."

"Hey, nee-chan, does that mean I can tell Hyuuga Seichi you'll go out with him?" A tomato hit him square in the face. "You know, we really shouldn't have sent her to those self-defense classes." Dashi complained. Despite her brother's insistent meddling in her love life, Riya could not help but laugh at the comic sight he created. Sakura joined her while Sasuke rolled his eyes at his son. "Whaddya say, nee-chan?" Another few tomatoes joined the first one.

"Dashi, you never learn, do you?" He asked, amused.

"Nope!"

The kitchen was filled with the laughter of a happy family.

* * *

Sasuke turned over and to stare up at the ceiling. His thoughts drifted around and landed on Sakura. Was she sleeping? "Sasuke-kun?" Apparently not. 

"Yes?" He turned on his side to look at her.

"What are we going to do about Riya?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, startled. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not really. But she's seventeen now."

"Dashi is fourteen." He did not see where she was going.

"Sasuke, I'm forty-seven now."

"I am too. Sakura, what are you talking about?" Sasuke was puzzled by the oddness of their conversation.

"Riya is going to college in a year." Her voice told him nothing.

"I know. Are you missing her already?"

"No, well, that's not really what I meant to talk about. She's never really dated."

"Riyaku may date whomever she likes, whenever she likes." Sasuke did not want to talk about his daughter's love life.

"She likes Seichi, that's why." He froze. "Tenten and Neji's son."

"How do you know?"

"Sasuke-kun, isn't it obvious after today?" Sakura sounded exasperated. "Do I have to explain what love is?"

"You said she _likes_ him."

"Uchiha Sasuke, you are the most impossible and love-blind idiot I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, dating, and marrying."

"I'm the only impossible and love-blind idiot you've ever met, dated, and married." He kissed her.

"Good point. Back to Riya." She snuggled up against him. "You remember our song?"

"Which one?"

"When You Say Nothing At All." Sakura looked up at him. "That one. By the way, Sasuke-kun, I love you." He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"What about Riya?"

"She's like us. If she and Seichi started dating, she'd be me and Seichi'd be you. Tenten told me the song works to Seichi. She also said Seichi likes Riya."

"I am not interfering with Riya's 'relationships' until they are existent. For now, that is Dashi's job." Sasuke was completely prepared to turn over and sleep.

"Sasuke-kun, Seichi took Riya to the senior prom."

"_What?_"

"Shh, not so loud! They're only down the hall!" Sakura hushed him.

"How come I didn't know?"

"Riya didn't want you to know."

"_Why?_"

"Sasuke-kun, Riya is not stupid. You and Neji are not the best of friends." Sakura patted his arm. _I know he's bothered Riya couldn't tell him that. _Sasuke sighed. "Sasuke?"

"I'm fine." He assured her. "Sakura, how much do you know about them?"

"Both are too devoted to their families and studies to date, but there's more than just a spark between them. Sasuke." Emerald eyes searched his obsidian orbs, the moon shining on their faces. "I think Riya and Seichi are in love." Sasuke was silent. "They're going to the same college. They'll probably start dating by then." They lay in silence for a little.

"Sakura?" He asked finally. "Riya…does she really…"

"They're almost exactly like we were."

"Is she…does he make her happy?" It was hard for him to ask. _Not my little girl._

Sakura studied his face. _He doesn't want to lose his baby girl unless she is wholly, truly happy._ "I won't lie, Sasuke. Right now, yes. And there's a good chance forever. I think they will be happy together."

* * *

Riya felt heat rise up on her cheeks as she listened to her parents talking about her love life. It wasn't completely right, but knowing how much her father simply wanted her to be happy, if it meant she was with Seichi…it meant a lot. He didn't talk about that sort of stuff with her, only her mother. It meant even more because she and her father were very close, despite her more outward-attitude resemblance to her mother. She'd only heard part of their conversation—her father had woken her up with a loud '_What?'_ and she'd come to investigate. She focused on listening again; her father was speaking.

* * *

"Sakura, can you sing our song for me?" Sakura hugged him. 

"Of course, love." She opened her mouth, and soft, sweet words flowed out.

"It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word you can light up the dark

Try as I may I could never explain

What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud

But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd

Old Mr. Webster could never define

What's being said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all."

'_Sakura, thank you.'_ "Would it mean a lot to you if I said it?" Sakura looked startled.

"Sasuke-kun, you say it best when you say nothing at all." She reminded him gently. "I love you the way you are."

"But would it?" Sakura looked at him carefully, then smiled. "I think it would mean a lot to every wife to hear her husband tell her he loves her."

"I love you, Sakura." He said simply, holding her in his arms. A contented smile rose on her face.

"I love you, Sasuke."

* * *

Riya smiled and quietly tiptoed away. _I knew you had it in you, Papa._

* * *

_xxxOne love heads for eternity__**Fine**__the other begins its journey to foreverxxx_

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this! It's longer, much longer than I originally planned, but I just adore the future Uchiha family! And then I _was_ going to go on to Riya and Seichi, but this is SasuSaku—I think it's better to end with them, huh? 

I don't think I did Sasuke very well in here. Alas, I fear I am losing my mind to boredom. But I really did try my best to get back into writer mode!

I hope you liked it, Ariel! Happy (late) birthday!

Okay, the pendant was more important in the beginning, but then I didn't feel the need to explain it in the story. But it's a present Sakura bought Sasuke--a manly one of course. I got that idea from Inuyasha--you know how in the third movie, his 'Sit' beads break?

I know you're probably thinking "Riya is three and she's talking like that? That's not possible." Ok, I have an explanation. For one, let's just say Riya is like the modern day Uchiha prodigy. Two, I wanted to maintain the fact that Riya has more seniority over Dashi and also the fact that Sasuke and Sakura have been together since they were young--I wanted them to be younger parents. (Since my parents will be around their fifties by the time _I_ go to college.)

When I started writing this, I was watching Inuyasha. If y'all know what that is, Affections Touching Across Time was playing—that's the "quiet, lovely, slightly sad tune that played itself in her head."

Do you think I ought to have disclaimed Inuyasha too? I didn't really copy anything--just the significance of the pendant and the song and the tree.

The tree! 

The significance of the tree to Sasuke and Sakura is like the Goshinboku/Tree of Time(?) to Kagome and Inuyasha.

Ja!


End file.
